Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 245 Tiannan Region, Seven Cities of Tiancang
"Tree King, why are you stopping us?"

Mo Yue's eyes held a wary look, and he said in a low voice, "Could it be that you've changed your mind?"

The tree-man clone stroked his beard and smiled, "Even if you regret it, how could my clone be a match for your Flood Dragon King?"

"Mo Yue, stop fooling around." Xu Chuan cupped his hands towards the tree-man clone and said, "Senior, is there something you need me to do?"

Mo Yuelong turned his head away and said nothing more.

Who is whose servant?

The tree-man clone didn't care about this matter and said, "I came here to tell you another piece of news."

“When I went to the Holy Mountain last time, I learned from an old friend that the time to die is either thirty-six or forty. I know you can understand this, so you can go ahead.”

After saying this, the tree-man's clone transformed into a ball of green light and vanished in an instant.

"This old man must be getting on in years, talking nonsense!" Mo Yue muttered.

Xu Chuan understood the meaning of the number he mentioned, and thought to himself, "Within thirty-six years, I will definitely form my core and return!"

Although he had devised an underground refuge plan, he could not predict how the situation would develop and had to return in person to oversee it.

Xu Chuan glanced at the others and said, "Once you leave this place, you must not tell anyone about your origins. Just say that you are a wandering cultivator traveling around. Do you all understand?"

"Understood," Xu Mingxian and the others replied.

Xu Chuan then looked at Mo Yue, "Do you still remember the route?"

Mo Yue scratched his head with his dragon claw and laughed awkwardly, "It's been thousands of years, how could I remember clearly? Anyway, flying south is definitely the right thing to do."

Xu Chuan's lips twitched slightly, thinking that this guide seemed a bit unreliable.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now."

"What do you mean? Why do I feel like you're looking down on me?"

"You misunderstood. Take us south, and while you're at it, scout out the surroundings from time to time. You might just run into some human cultivators who are out on an adventure."

"Oh."

Mo Yue responded and carried them south.

Ye Fan transmitted his voice to Xu Deyue and said, "Lord Mo Yue, why do you seem a bit silly and simple-minded?"

"We don't need to worry about our elders' affairs."

"Ok."

------------

One month later.

After a long flight and seven or eight attacks by flying Golden Core demonic beasts, Xu Chuan and his companions finally arrived at the edge of the human territory thanks to Mo Yue's powerful strength.

“Xu Chuan, there are human cultivators in that forest: one late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and three late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.”

Xu Chuan pondered for a moment and said, "Since we have reached the edge of human territory, you should go back to the spirit beast pouch first. We will let you out after we find a place to settle down."

Otherwise, if a third-tier demonic beast appears in human territory, I fear it will attract a siege from Golden Core cultivators.

"I'm a little tired after flying for so long. You all take care of yourselves. I need to get some sleep."

After speaking, his body suddenly shrank, then transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into his spirit beast pouch.

"Let's go and find out what's going on."

Xu Chuan concealed his cultivation level as late Foundation Establishment, while Xu Mingxian and Xu Deling were at the second or third level of Foundation Establishment, and Xu Deyue was at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

Ye Fan, on the other hand, pretended to be at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

at this time.

In the forest, Mo Yue discovered that the group of people were besieging and killing a second-tier early-stage demonic beast.

First, have a Foundation Establishment stage disciple severely injure it, and then have a Qi Refining stage disciple fight it.

It's almost over.

This monster actually tried to self-destruct its demon core.

"Not good, get out of the way!" The old man in the late Foundation Establishment stage suddenly changed his expression and shouted sharply.

The three young cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining showed expressions of fear in their eyes and turned to leave, but it was obviously too late.

The self-destruction of a second-stage early-stage demon beast at such close range would severely injure even the late-stage Foundation Establishment elder.

But at that very moment...

The monster seemed to be affected by something inexplicable, and let out a miserable cry.

Immediately afterwards, a beam of green light came from afar and pierced through its head in an instant.

The monster collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The sudden change caught everyone off guard, and after a short while, they all turned toward the source of the attack.

Several figures could be seen walking towards them from several hundred meters away.

It was Xu Chuan and his group.

"Fellow Daoists, I hope my hasty action just now didn't ruin your plans?" Xu Chuan said with a cupped hand and a faint smile.

The late-stage Foundation Establishment elder was the first to react, and cupped his fists to Xu Chuan, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you are too kind. If it weren't for your timely intervention, my clan's disciples would have all perished here."

Then he added, "We are from the Wu family of Jiaoxiu City nearby. Fellow Daoists, you look unfamiliar. May I ask where you come from?"

"We are wandering cultivators who just happened to be passing by. My surname is Xu."

"A rogue cultivator?" The late Foundation Establishment stage elder looked suspicious. "Rogue cultivators shouldn't be in groups of this many, right?"
"Looking at your faces, you two seem to share some similarities."

So perceptive?

In the Southern Region, is the reputation of a rogue cultivator no longer effective?

Xu Chuan chuckled awkwardly twice, then sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist is truly astute. I won't hide it from you, but these are my son and granddaughter, and this young man is my disciple."

Our family fell into decline, and we wandered from place to place, eventually arriving here.

"I see." The Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu seemed to empathize and sighed slightly as well. "Life is tough for independent cultivators, but it's just as tough for small aristocratic families."

Its rapid rise lasted only a few decades, and it vanished from this land as quickly as a shooting star.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, you understand me."

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you flatter me. I was just expressing some feelings."

The two suddenly felt as if they had known each other for a long time.

When you go out, your identity is given by yourself!
With just a few words, Xu Chuan assigned them the identities of elders and scions of a fugitive family.

Ye Fan secretly admired his master's social skills.

"I observe that the disciples of noble families are all outstanding individuals, and it should not be difficult for them to reach the Foundation Establishment stage in the future."

"Fellow Daoist Xu is too kind," said the Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu with a smile, waving his hand.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, we are looking for a place to settle down. What do you think of Jiaoxiu City that you mentioned? Could you please introduce it to me?"

"Our training is over, and we are about to return to Jiaoxiu City. Fellow Daoist Xu, you and the others can come with us, and we can talk as we walk."

"also may."

"This place is located in the northwest corner of the entire Tiannan Region. It is not a bustling center. There are seven cities around it, called the Seven Cities of Tiancang."

Our city of Horned City is the strongest among the seven cities.

There are four great families specializing in Golden Core cultivation.

The other cities each have at least one or two Golden Core families.

As for my Wu family, we rank among the top fifty in Jiaoxiu City, with two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators holding sway over us.

After a pause, the Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu smiled and continued, "If you gentlemen have nowhere to stay here, you may join my Wu family."

With Fellow Daoist Xu's late Foundation Establishment stage strength, he can at least become a guest elder of my Wu family.

As for the others, becoming a guard or even a guard leader would be no problem. Their monthly salary of spirit stones would be quite high, and they would occasionally receive medicinal resources.

"If you make contributions to the Wu family, you can exchange contribution points for some of the Wu family's profound techniques, secret arts, and magical artifacts."

They're all old foxes! No wonder they were being so polite, they were up to something!

As Xu Chuan listened, he thought to himself, "The top fifty should be the bottom of the rankings, but there are two Foundation Establishment Perfection families in the fiftieth position."

Their strength and foundation far surpass any of the three first-rank families of Jiang, Lei, and Lin in the Great Wei Dynasty.

It seems that the Southern Region is indeed not an easy place to roam!

However, there is absolutely no way he would join another family and work for them!

Of course, Xu Chuan was also counting on them to guide him and help him get familiar with Jiao Su City and the surrounding area, so he didn't rush to refuse and pretended to be slightly interested.

"Fellow Daoist Wu is truly eager for talent. If all the members of your Wu family were like this, wholeheartedly thinking of the family, how could it not grow stronger? The top fifty are probably just the starting point for the Wu family."

"Fellow Daoist Xu is too kind," the old man surnamed Wu waved his hand and said, "The higher the family's ranking, the deeper its foundation. My Wu family has only risen in Jiaoxiu City for a little over two hundred years. How could we be a match for the other families?"

What are your thoughts, Fellow Daoist Xu, regarding the matter that Mr. Wu had previously considered?

Xu Chuan said, "I plan to find an inn in Jiaoxiu City to settle down first, and learn about Jiaoxiu City and its surroundings before making any further plans."

If Xu were truly considering joining a particular family, he would certainly prioritize the Wu family.

"Haha, it's Wu who's too impatient. He should indeed familiarize himself with it first, after all, this is a major event that will determine the course of his life."

More than half an hour later.

They left the forest.

The old man surnamed Wu, who had just reached the Foundation Establishment stage, raised his hand and said, "The city of Jiaoxiu is located more than 300 li to the east, the city of Xinxiu is 400 li to the southeast, and the city of Weixiu is more than 350 li to the southwest."

Xu Chuan's heart skipped a beat. "Could this Tiancang Seven Towns be named after the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon?"

“That’s true.” The Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu explained, “Legend has it that in ancient times, the Seven Towns of Cangcang were called the Seven Towns of Canglong and belonged to the Canglong Sect.”

This Azure Dragon Sect has quite a background; it is a branch sect of the Four Symbols Starry Sky Holy Land.

Brother Xu, you must have heard of the Four Symbols Constellation Holy Land. It was one of the ancient overlords of our Southern Region, with a powerful being at the Mahayana stage in charge.

Even this branch sect has cultivators at the Integration stage.

Unfortunately, a great change occurred ten thousand years ago, and things are no longer the same. Many sects have disappeared into the long river of history.

Now, the dominant forces are only left with the Nascent Soul stage.

Nascent Soul sects can also be considered top-tier forces!

As for the Azure Dragon Sect, it was later occupied by other forces and renamed the Heavenly Azure Sect, and the Seven Azure Dragon Cities became the Seven Heavenly Azure Cities.

However, the city's name remained unchanged.

Xu Chuan also sighed, "In the ancient golden age of cultivation, who wouldn't yearn for it? I've heard that even those with pseudo-spiritual roots have the potential to become Golden Core or even Nascent Soul cultivators."

"Now, being able to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage is an extraordinary opportunity."

"Who says it isn't?"

Foundation Establishment cultivators fly through the air, while Qi Refining cultivators fly on swords.

Xu Chuan and his group, along with the Wu family, headed straight east.

On the road.

The three Qi Refining stage cultivators from the Wu family seemed interested in Xu Mingxian and his companions, and they asked about their names with a smile.

However, their arrogance was unmistakable.

After all, a once-powerful family that has been destroyed and can only flee for their lives carries a deep-seated contempt in their bones.

Xu Mingxian, Xu Deyue, and Xu Deling all had indifferent expressions, only saying their names before ignoring them.

Ye Fan, on the other hand, disguised himself as a Qi Refining stage cultivator and spent a long time communicating with them to extract information.

"Brother Ye looks very young. May I ask your age?"

"I've just turned twenty-four, but I look rather young. Brother Zhiping, you don't think I'm only fifteen or sixteen, do you?"

Wu Zhiping laughed and said, "How could I think that way? It's impossible for someone from a Golden Core family to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining at the age of fifteen."

"By the way, Brother Zhiping, why do you refer to the Golden Core Clan as a 'noble family'? Didn't you always call them 'family' before?"

"Brother Ye, you don't even know this?"

"I was taken in by my master on the way here after he left the Xu family."

"I see." Wu Zhiqing, the only female cultivator among the three, nodded and said, "The title of a noble family can only be bestowed upon those that have existed for more than five hundred years."

Of course, if a Golden Core cultivator is born in a family, then that family is certainly qualified to be called a prestigious family.

The struggles between Foundation Establishment families are fierce. Some are replaced within a hundred years, while others are divided up by other Foundation Establishment families after two or three hundred years.

In Jiaoxiu City, only the top five Foundation Establishment families are considered aristocratic families.

Rumors suggest they all have deep connections to families specializing in Golden Core cultivation.

"How strong is the foundation of the top five Foundation Establishment families? Do they have dozens of Foundation Establishment Perfection experts?"

Wu Zhiping chuckled twice and said, "Brother Ye, you're really joking. Even a family with the Golden Core stage might not have dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators at the peak of their cultivation."

As far as I know, the top five consistently maintain a ranking of around ten or so at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"But your Wu family, ranked in the top fifty, doesn't it have two members who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage? So, looking at it this way..."

"Family rankings are based on overall strength, including not only the number of top experts, but also the number of other Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qi Refining cultivators, family businesses, wealth, and so on."

"Been taught a lesson."

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan cupped his hands in greeting to Wu Zhiping.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, please excuse my poor performance. In recent years, I have been busy with cultivation and finding a place to settle down, and I have not had time to teach you."

These were actually things Xu Chuan had asked Ye Fan to find out via telepathy.

If he were to ask, it would arouse suspicion.

If an "ignorant" disciple inadvertently asks a silly question, they will simply laugh it off.

"Although young friend Ye is new to the field, his talent is not bad. He will have no problem becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future."

"Actually, I was just about to ask Fellow Daoist Wu about this matter. Is there a place in Jiaoxiu City that specializes in selling Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"Yes, there are some, but they are mostly sold through auctions." The Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu frowned. "After all, Foundation Establishment Pills are strategic-level pills."

Among the many cultivators in Horned City, quite a few possess pseudo-spiritual roots or mixed spiritual roots, yet hold relatively high positions.

"It's pretty much what I expected. Oh well, let's see what fate holds for my disciple."

"Fellow Daoist Xu, do not be pessimistic. As long as you join my Wu family, with his talent, my Wu family will definitely do everything in its power to help him break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

Xu Chuan did not give a direct answer, but simply smiled faintly.

Less than half an hour.

They finally arrived in the skies above Horned City.

The moment my gaze fell upon it, I felt a jolt in my heart.

That city stretched across the sky and earth, far more magnificent than the imperial city of the Great Wei.

As if born from the primordial chaos, the dark city walls, constructed of an unknown material, gleamed with the cold light of a mixture of black iron and meteorite.

The towering ramparts stretch out like a coiled dragon lying in the wilderness, their beginning and end invisible at a glance. One feels as if the city walls blend seamlessly with the heavens and earth, their imposing presence even lowering the clouds by a third.

The city was surrounded by a misty aura of spiritual energy, like a light purple silk. Xu Chuan, using his divine sense to investigate, found dozens of spiritual energy nodes within a radius of more than ten miles.

If placed in Yuehu County, it would be enough to establish a Qi Refining family with this as its core.

However, no one paid any attention to it.

Looking into the depths of the city, in some places, the spiritual energy was so dense that it was almost visible to the naked eye, but it seemed to be sealed off by an array.

The Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu clasped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, we have other matters to attend to, so we will return directly to our clan. Since this is your first time here, you will need to go to the city gate to obtain temporary residence tokens."

After all, when staying in the city, this token is usually required.

"Thank you for informing me." Xu Chuan returned the greeting with clasped hands. After speaking, the Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu led Wu Zhiping and the others directly into the city.

"Second Grandfather, do you think these people will join our Wu family?" Wu Zhiping asked curiously.

"What do you think?"

"It's hard to say. They know that making a living in Horned City is difficult. They can either abandon the city and go to the surrounding towns to make a living, or they can cling to us who are extending olive branches to them."

The Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Wu turned to him and smiled slightly, "Now that my Wu family is in the midst of vigorous development, we must recruit talents and recruit as many Foundation Establishment cultivators as possible."

But if they are unwilling, there is a way to make a group of newcomers disappear silently from Horned City.

Since they were fleeing from disaster, they may have brought some of their family's resources and wealth with them.

It can also be used to strengthen my Wu family.

Wu Zhiqian asked, "Then, Second Grandfather, why didn't we eliminate them in the Rock Forest before?"

"Qianmei, their strength is comparable to ours, and Xu Chuan's skills seem extraordinary. We should not start a fight unless we are absolutely certain of victory."

Wu Zhiping said with a smile, "Therefore, Second Grandfather mainly focuses on recruiting, answering all questions and showing friendliness."

"The analysis is good. Zhiping is becoming more and more outstanding. He can replace our lineage and compete for the position of family head in the future."

"I still need to trouble Second Grandfather to guide me more." Wu Zhiping's lips curled up slightly, his handsome features were extraordinary, and his brows revealed seven parts confidence.

"That's for sure. As long as you're strong enough when the next family head competition begins, your second grandfather will naturally do his best to help you among the elders."

"Also, this experience should teach you a lesson: you must be ruthless towards your enemies. If you hadn't treated that monster with a playful attitude, it wouldn't have had the chance to self-destruct."

"Understood, Second Grandfather."

Wu Zhiping and the other two bowed their heads and said.

Xu Chuan and his group of five arrived at the city gate and lined up.

Fortunately, the line wasn't long, only twenty or thirty people, and it was their turn soon.

At the city gate stood six early-stage Foundation Establishment guards clad in black armor, and a middle-aged man with mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, dressed in a steward's uniform.

The middle-aged man glanced at Xu Chuan and asked casually, "One person or several people?"

"The five of us are together."

Although the middle-aged man was only in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he showed no awe in his eyes when he looked at Xu Chuan; instead, he displayed a sense of pride.

Because he came from the city lord's mansion.

Even the stewards of the city lord's mansion and the Foundation Establishment cultivators of various Foundation Establishment families had to give him some face.

The middle-aged manager glanced at the four people behind Xu Chuan, and then said, "There are three types of temporary residence tokens: monthly tokens, quarterly tokens, and yearly tokens."

Monthly pass, quarterly pass, annual pass?

Xu Chuan inwardly cursed, "What about the video membership?!"
"The monthly pass means that the temporary residence permit is only valid for one month, and the quarterly pass and the annual pass are in the same order."

"However, the discounts for the three are different: monthly pass, one spirit stone per person; quarterly pass, two spirit stones per person; and annual pass, seven spirit stones per person."

Which type do you want?

“Five New Year's tokens.” Xu Chuan said, taking out thirty-five spirit stones from his storage bag and suspending them in mid-air.

The middle-aged steward glanced at it, put it into his storage bag, and then took out five cyan tokens and handed them to Xu Chuan.

He had seen the people who had entered before; their tokens were gray and white.

This is similar to the radiance of the spiritual root aptitude test.

"By the way, these tokens are all one-time use. Once refined, they will lose their effectiveness, whether the divine thought on them is forcibly erased by others or they are removed by the user themselves."

Unable to enter Horned City.

To reissue the token, a fee of one spirit stone will be charged if the token is still valid.

"I understand." Xu Chuan clasped his hands in a fist and then distributed the tokens to Xu Mingxian and the other three.

The token imprinted with divine sense establishes a connection instantly, unlike magical artifacts which require time to refine.

Pass through the semi-transparent array light curtain at the city gate.

Xu Mingxian's pupils contracted slightly, and he transmitted his voice, "Father, this is a mid-grade third-order grand formation."

"Medium grade?"

"The larger the range of the formation, the more spiritual energy it consumes. If it is a high-grade third-order formation of this range, it must be supported by a complete third-order spiritual vein."

I estimate that this defensive array, when fully activated, should be sufficient to withstand a fierce attack from a Golden Core cultivator at the peak of their cultivation."

"Let's not worry about that for now. The places in the city with the most abundant spiritual energy must be in the hands of Golden Core families, and have nothing to do with us."

Even those suitable for cultivation are inevitably controlled by Foundation Establishment families.

The primary goal is to rent a cave dwelling to stay in, and then to learn about the prices of various resources in the Tiannan Region, the power situation of Jiaoxiu City, and the situation of surrounding cities and towns.

And information on some well-known forces in the Southern Region.

"Yes, father."

Seven or eight days passed in the blink of an eye.

Xu Chuan and his men went out every day to gather intelligence.

I have gained a general understanding of the Southern Region.

It means vast.

The entire Tiannan region is vast, spanning tens of millions of miles, and is home to numerous large and small powers.

Families, clans, sects, and even countries that are affiliated with a particular sect.

There are also many opportunities.

The secret realms, both large and small, include innate secret realms and those opened up by ancient powerful beings, and many cave dwellings still retain their heritage.

Therefore, people often rise to prominence suddenly.

Most of the secret realms opened up by powerful beings have inheritances, and innate secret realms are also sought after by countless forces.

Because every time a Primordial Secret Realm appears, it will inevitably give birth to some Primordial Spiritual Objects that can help with Core Formation.

Of course, this will also make the competition incredibly fierce.

However, it's not that innate spiritual objects are only born in innate secret realms. The Tiannan Region is vast and rich in resources, and they are occasionally discovered there.

The innate secret realms are very unique. Some secret realms can only accommodate those in the Qi Refining stage, while others can accommodate those in the Golden Core stage.

The secret realms opened up by ancient powerful beings are even more stable, and many of them can be entered by cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage.

Perhaps because of the vastness of the region and the inconvenience of travel, the information obtained in Jiaoxiu City regarding the major powers of the entire Tiannan Region was not very detailed.

All that is known is that there are five top sects: Xuan Yue Sect, Qing Xu Sect, Qing Yun Sect, Lei Yin Temple, and Yu Hua Sect.

The Xuan Yue Sect is the youngest, the Qing Xu Sect is famous for its magic, most of the disciples of the Qing Yun Sect are sword cultivators, the Lei Yin Temple is a Buddhist and Taoist lineage, and the Yu Hua Sect has the fewest members, but all of them are geniuses.

Above the five top powers is the rumored overlord of the Southern Region.

However, very little information is recorded about it. It is only known that this dominant force is a family, but few people know exactly where it is located in the Southern Region.

In this northwestern region, there is a top-tier power: the Xuan Yue Sect.

The seven cities of Tiancang are all independent. The strongest force in the vicinity is the Tiancang Sect in the Tiancang Mountains, thousands of miles away, which has a Nascent Soul stage cultivator in charge.

There are many spiritual veins in the Tiancang Mountains. Besides the Tiancang Sect, there are three other sects that are affiliated with the Tiancang Sect.

Besides the city, there are also many small towns in the surrounding area.

Xu Chuan even went out of the city to see it. It was called a small town, but its size was no smaller than that of Yuehu County.

Tianwu Peak.

Located in the northwest district of Jiaoxiu City.

This peak contains a first-order spiritual vein, and cave dwellings have been carved out on the mountain, specifically for cultivators coming to Jiaoxiu City.

The cave dwellings are classified into grades A, B, C, and D.

The top-tier cave dwellings are allocated the most abundant spiritual energy, but they are also the most expensive.

The minimum rental period is one year, and it costs fifty spirit stones.

Xu Chuan and his group were in Cave No. 12.

After all, they were all in the Foundation Establishment stage, so they naturally chose cave dwellings with abundant spiritual energy.

There were only three quiet rooms for cultivation in this cave, so Xu Chuan and his group opened two more, though the effect was not as good as the original three.

Xu Chuan had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and no longer craved spiritual energy.

Ye Fan had only just entered the Foundation Establishment stage.

Therefore, the three meditation rooms were given to Xu Mingxian, Xu Deling, and Xu Deyue.

The three of them, one at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment and the other two at the seventh level, were at a time when they needed a lot of spiritual energy to aid their cultivation.

"Ye Fan, you do not currently possess any Foundation Establishment techniques. I will pass on the Shao Hao True Yang Technique to you. Although I do not know how it compares to the Cao family's techniques, it is still well-suited to your physique."

Ye Fan bowed and said, "Thank you, Master."

"Here are three bottles of high-grade True Essence Pills. Take them first. Don't be too frugal. If you run out, just ask your master for more. The same goes for your senior brother and niece."

"Disciple knows."

Just then, Xu Chuan's spirit beast pouch stirred, and a beam of light shot out, revealing Mo Yue, whose body had shrunk to only a few feet.

"I slept really well."

Mo Yue looked around and asked, "Have you found a place to settle down?"

"We'll choose a place to settle down after we've thoroughly understood the Tiannan Region and the surrounding area. This is a temporary rental of the cave dwelling."

There are four great families specializing in Golden Core cultivation in this Horned City, so don't wander off.

"Do you really think I'm stupid?" Mo Yue rolled his eyes, then suddenly looked at Ye Fan with suspicion, "There's something wrong with your disciple?"

"What's wrong?"

“He has been marked with an extremely subtle tracking mark, which would be difficult for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to detect without careful examination.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Chuan's expression changed slightly. He immediately used his divine sense to carefully examine Ye Fan's body and found a blue mark on his left shoulder blade.

"Master, is there really a mark? Why didn't I notice it at all?"

Xu Chuan pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Wu family."

"The families that have grown to the top fifty in Jiaoxiu City over two hundred years must have swallowed up quite a few families."

"The Wu family?" Ye Fan was slightly taken aback. "Weren't they trying their best to invite us to join? Why are they doing this?"

Xu Chuan looked at him and smiled faintly, "Some things cannot be judged by appearances alone. The invitation is genuine, after all, there are four Foundation Establishment stage cultivators among us."

Even for a family of Golden Core cultivators, each additional Foundation Establishment cultivator in the family represents an improvement in their foundation.

Moreover, this applies to Foundation Establishment families.

But if we are unwilling, let us not forget that our identity is that of people who have fled from a ruined family, regardless of whether we come from a Foundation Establishment family or a Golden Core family.

They'll surely think we've brought with us a lot of resources to rebuild the family later.

"So that's how it is. The world and people's hearts are truly treacherous." Ye Fan sighed helplessly.

"I will learn and observe more in the future."

"Yes, Master."

"How strong is the Wu family? Should I teach them a lesson?" Mo Yue asked.

“No rush. Let’s stay here and make peace for a while.” Xu Chuan’s eyes gleamed. “If they really have malicious intentions and seek their own death, I won’t mind making them disappear from Jiaoxiu City.”

Immediately, a smile appeared on his face as he said, "Ye Fan, you should go back to your room and cultivate first."

Ye Fan bowed and took his leave.

Wu family.

"Seventh Elder, the group of people you asked us to monitor basically spend one or two hours wandering around the city every day before returning to their cave at Tianwu Peak."

A middle-aged guard in a yellow robe bowed and said.

The Seventh Elder he mentioned was none other than the Foundation Establishment Elder surnamed Wu whom Xu Chuan had encountered in the Rock Forest that day; his real name was Wu Yuanqi.

Where did you go?

"They went to the herb shop, weapon refining workshop, pill pavilion, rare treasures building, talisman making shop, etc., but they didn't buy anything. It seemed like they just went in to browse."

As for what they were doing, we didn't dare get too close, so we don't know.

Wu Yuanqi stroked his beard and murmured, "Could it be that you intend to settle down in Jiaoxiu City?"

"I understand. You may leave. Keep watch for another half month, and then this will be the end of it."

"Yes, Seventh Elder."

The middle-aged guard in the yellow robe bowed and left.

More than half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

After Xu Chuan and his group had thoroughly investigated the prices of various goods in the area, they rarely went out and mostly stayed in their cave to cultivate.

Ye Fan has made the most progress.

With his innate spiritual root talent, a suitable cultivation technique, the concentration of spiritual energy in his first-order spiritual vein, and the continuous consumption of high-grade True Essence Pills, his cultivation level has now reached the late stage of the first level of Foundation Establishment.

It won't take more than two or three months to reach the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Entering the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment in three years was effortless.

That damn genius!

Xu Chuan was also secretly envious.

After learning about the forces in Jiaoxiu City and the surrounding areas, Xu Chuan finally chose the Xu family in Tiannan as his place of residence.

That is Yunxi Town, which is more than 700 li southeast of Jiaosu City.

Several dozen miles to the east lies the Tiancang Mountain Range, rich in resources and teeming with monsters.

Many people who come to the Tiancang Mountains for training will stay in Yunxi Town for half a day or a day to prepare some pills and talismans.

Thirty miles to the north lies Yunhu Lake, rich in aquatic life and spirit fish.

The surrounding area is filled with spiritual fields.

Eighty miles to the south lies Fire Cloud Valley, where the earth fire flows continuously, making it an excellent place for refining weapons.

Xu Chuan learned that this place is currently occupied by a Golden Core cultivator known as the Fire Cloud Old Monster.

Even the name Fire Cloud Valley was derived from it.

Besides being a Golden Core cultivator, this Fiery Cloud Old Monster is also a master craftsman who can forge magical treasures.

Magical treasures at the Golden Core stage are divided into two categories. One category is the natal magical treasure that the cultivator refines himself. It is connected to his mind and spirit. If the magical treasure is damaged, his mind and spirit will also be injured.

Such magical treasures are often compatible with one's own cultivation techniques.

The other type is ordinary magical artifacts crafted by weapon refiners. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the refiner's personal preferences, and most of them are exquisite or ingenious.

They can often forge a magical artifact in just a few months to a few years.

However, most Golden Core cultivators who are not skilled in weapon crafting or not proficient in it will need several years, ten years, or even several decades to complete the process.

A natal magic weapon can be stored in the dantian, and its power increases the longer it is nurtured, while ordinary magic weapons cannot.

Of course, an ordinary magic weapon can also become a natal magic weapon if it is refined using the same method as a natal magic weapon.

However, this method is quite taxing on the user.

Given Xu Deling's skill in crafting magical artifacts, if she had the inheritance and the necessary conditions, she could potentially craft magical artifacts even during the Foundation Establishment stage.

Yunxi Town is the closest town to Huoyun Valley.

Xu Chuan chose this location not only because of its unique and superior geographical environment, but also because of Xu Deling's consideration.

(End of this chapter)